Cllr Cillian Keane has urged the government to cut through red tape and finally deliver the long-promised redevelopment of University Hospital Galway (UHG ).
The Fianna Fáil candidate in the upcoming bye-election in Galway West said that essential infrastucture was being delayed, not due to a lack of funding or political will but was a result of a system bogged down in bureaucracy.
“Galway is one of only two regions in the country without a public PET scanner, a basic piece of equipment used to diagnose cancer, track its spread and assess the effectiveness of treatment," Cllr Keane said.
“That is not because of a lack of ambition or funding, it is because progress is tied up in a field of weeds that has overgrown and is tangling up delivery. Cancer care should not depend on where you live, and the delivery of it should not be delayed by paperwork.”
Cllr Keane said the Government’s forthcoming Critical Infrastructure Bill presents an opportunity to change that by prioritising projects like the UHG redevelopment.
The legislation would allow Government to designate projects such as the redevelopment of UHG as "critical infrastructure." In theory, this would mean that every State body involved would have to prioritise it, bringing it to the top of the queue and cutting out unnecessary delays.
“In simple terms, this bill can create a fast track for projects that matter. If UHG is designated as critical infrastructure, it will dramatically reduce delivery timelines and finally get shovels in the ground,” Cllr Keane said.
“Every week in the local council I see how paperwork and box ticking delay projects that people actually need. Too often, people are spending more time filling out forms than delivering results.
